The Real Threat Behind Washington's Trans Sports Initiative

October 8, 2026 - 10:14

Having grown up in rural Missouri, I'm all too familiar with the way some people exclude, bully and discriminate against people of different backgrounds, religions and identities. That experience shaped how I see a measure now before voters in Washington state.

Initiative 638 is being sold as a way to protect girls and women in sports. Supporters say it would keep competition fair by restricting who can take part in female athletic divisions. But the language behind the campaign tells a different story. It targets transgender youth directly, turning a small and already vulnerable group into a political talking point.

The numbers do not support the panic. Transgender athletes make up a tiny fraction of participants in school and college sports. There is no evidence of a widespread problem that requires a statewide law. What the initiative would actually do is invite scrutiny of any girl whose appearance or performance does not fit someone's idea of what a female athlete should look like.

That is the part supporters rarely mention. When a law forces officials to question a child's body, every girl with a short haircut, a strong build or a quiet demeanor becomes a suspect. The burden falls hardest on those who already face judgment.

Fairness matters. So does dignity. Washington voters can reject a measure built on suspicion rather than evidence, and choose inclusion over a witch hunt that hurts far more people than it claims to protect.